Discogs

There is no rival.

Recently, Discogs have taken off buy links for most bootleg and pirate releases, possibly under pressure from artists, labels, RIAA, IFPI, PRS and other organisations.  Some still remain as it'd take forever to get them all.  I know I bought some pirates from there when I had the chance (I can't remember buying bootlegs online except in trade from Ukraine).  Seldom do they find their way in brick and mortars in the west that I've seen lately.  I still get them my usual way when I can.
I use Discogs to keep track of my entire collection and it has gone to over 2,000 items, enough to open a shop!  I can't add or edit releases there anymore, but I check to see if there's a match once in a while for something I have that they didn't.

eMusic

Current logo.

eMusic is where I go for independent artists on official mp3.  Doesn't mean it's all there.  One artist says he didn't get too much return (Spotify pays even less) and a label head in LA says it's a ripoff.  I managed to find a number of albums for over a decade.  They even had major label releases for a period before going back to their indie roots.  I truly would rather have everything on both LP and CD when I can.  Also there isn't always something there not at the other place.  What I do find I put on that site later.  I can only suspend my account twice a year and I won't cancel as something comes up eventually if I look for people I know.  My credits usually refresh when I pay my subscription for internet, so I'm able to download by then.

UPDATE: I have cancelled my account as this is a lost cause.

Artists with CNY ties

Ronnie James Dio, 2005

There are a plethora of household names that have past personal ties to Central New York as it's too easy to start in a big area.  Been meaning to do this.  Here is a list of ones I know:

Ronnie James Dio (pictured; raised in Cortland)
Grace Jones (lived in Lyncourt section of Syracuse and attended OCC and *)
Pete Yorn*
Libba Cotten
Benny Mardones
Vanessa Williams (also on our sister blog)*
Lou Reed*
Joe Driscoll (born in Syracuse; was in the UK for several years before coming home)
Joey Belladonna (from Anthrax; from Oswego)
Kim Simmonds (Savoy Brown; lives in Oswego County)
Masters of Reality (from Syracuse)
John Silver (early Genesis drummer; attended Cornell)
Gym Glass Heroes (founding members are from Geneva)
Annette Funicello (born in Utica)
Rick Cua (born in Syracuse)
Martin Sexton (same)

Alan Gratzer (formerly of REO Speedwagon; born in Syracuse)
Tommy deCarlo (Boston; born in Utica)
Joe Bonnamassa (from Utica suburb New York Mills)

Jon Fishman (Phish; Jamesville-deWitt alumnus)
Josh Batstone (The Voice; from Fulton)
Gary Carpentier (The Voice; from Oswego)
Post Malone (he's from Syracuse too and hit #1 even though he's not my bag)

*SU alumni

Childhood's End - Pink Floyd Tribute Band

Ian Cattell (left) in Brit Floyd

There used to be a Pink Floyd tribute band in my area called Childhoods End (no relation to one in Italy nor a track by Marillion for that matter).  I have seen them at Palace Theatre and Westcott Theatre in Syracuse.  They went the way of the real Floyd a couple years ago.  Their site said so but then it had something else and then was taken off.  Ian Cattell would be hired several years ago by The Australian Pink Floyd Show former member Damian Darlington (above right) to form Brit Floyd who I saw the other night after missing the last two times local boy (Cattell) was back in town.  Childhoods End meanwhile carried on with another lineup or two until they broke up amicably.  Two regular venues, Uptown Theatre in Utica and Suzys Tavern in Auburn have also gone out of business.  End had fewer resources than the others and the furthest they've played was Jim Thorpe, PA if not somewhere else outside CNY to my knowledge.  They released no CDs or DVDs.  Even a gofundme or indiegogo appeal now might not gain as much traction as an all-original project would.
There have been a plethora of Floyd tribute bands founded over the past three decades such as The Machine who I saw in town as well.  The two Commonwealth ones can have more people on stage like backing vocalists and additional musicians to do the songs justice.  CE at least staged The Wall but having fake bricks like solo Roger Waters would was either a fire hazard inside a smaller place or not practical on a budget as licence royalties may be considered among other possible costs.
Steve Schad who played keyboards in CE has gone on to another tribute act called Beatlecuse who I saw twice last year but is the name of a show with a collective of local people and guest doing Beatles et al.  Other members such as Tom Robinson (guitar), Eric Garboushian (drums), Jimmy Simpson Puma (bass) , Gregory John (guitar), and others have moved on to other things for all I know.  Did see former manager Greg Jackson and his wife Sandra (who took photographs of the band during the show) at the chippy last year.  At least one could see Waters if they can make the trip.
I just wanted something to give the band and fans closure as there's nothing saved on record about the End of Childhoods End which is named for a track on Obscured by Clouds which true fans know.

Greatest Hits/Best Ofs

Rihanna in concert, 2011.  She came to Syracuse just months before this show.

I don't usually write about todays Top 40 artists because it's almost too easy (I'll just let Perez Hilton do that), yet there are a number of them as well as some from yesteryear that have yet to release a greatest hits and/or best of album and have enough of a track record now to fill one up.  Russian bootleg ones exist of many of the following, but an official release is imminent for all of these artists:

Rihanna (above; already approaching the tenth anniversary of "Pon de Replay"!)
Beyoncé (Destinys Child have one)
Coldplay (Chris Martin recorded a duet with RiRi which could go on both albums)
Justin Timberlake (there is one for 'NSYNC proper however)
Kate Bush (last one was in 1986, so she has more tracks to collect)
AC/DC (have refused to put one out, yet the end of the band is likely not too far off)
Metallica (also declined to make a compilation and own their masters)
Lady Gaga (just performed with Metallica at Grammys)
Tool (not quite mainstream yet they too don't believe in a collection)
Katy Perry (maybe in 2018 for the 10th anniversary)
Scissor Sisters (overlooked at home and currently on extended sabbatical)
Lana del Rey (yes, even her)
Selena Gomez (includes with the Scene)
Miley Cyrus (not including her Hannah Montana material from more innocent times)*
The All-American Rejects (much of these are on Polydor where I found many of these)
Take That (also underrated in the US yet have enough since their reunion over a decade ago)
The Jonas Brothers (the teenybopper nature of their classics may limit their appeal now)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs (including some solo Karen O)
Mariah Carey (compilation and/or boxed set of her Universal-owned albums)
One Direction (now on hiatus)
Taylor Swift (may have to wait until 2018 as new album is out; her ex is in 1D)
John Mayer (Taylors other ex as well as Katys; Mr-Can't-Make-a-Commitment!  Coming soon to CNY)
Calvin Harris (this isn't a gossip column, yet he also used to be with TayTay!)
System of a Down (a new studio album is needed as well)
Little Mix (even them already)
NERD (could throw in solo Pharrell Williams*)
Justin Bieber (even though "Baby" and "Love Yourself" couldn't be more different; Selenas ex)
Susan Boyle (the time has come for a collection; I do admire her for being a late bloomer nonetheless)
David Gilmour (should keep live versions of Floyd proper classics off so he can stand on his own)
Kanye West (he thinks he's the greatest and may also think that of every track he's recorded.  I'm not endorsing this baciagaloop, just saying how even he might consider putting a collection together)
Alicia Keys (may have to wait until later in the year as Here is still fresh in promotional phase)*
Usher (will also have to wait as his latest release hasn't been out that long either)*
Shakira (this one would be of her English-language hits like "Don't Bother" and "Underneath Your Clothes")*
James Blunt (currently has a studio release to plug, but a compilation next year would mark a decade since "You're Beautiful")
Muse (bought a few of their studio albums for you-know-who but even he can't be bothered with cherry picking)
Fiona Apple (could also use another new album first)
Fantasia (only Idol alum here)

*The Voice judges past and present as this pattern occurred.  No past contestants combined however have enough to do a collection just yet!

WogBlog: Paul sues Sony/ATV

WogBlog: Paul sues Sony/ATV

Gloversville record plant

Free image due to age and lack of copyright

    I remembered hearing over a decade ago about a record plant close to the Adirondacks that was going out of business (it closed for good in 2005 after being opened in 1931 by Decca/Brunswick Records during the Depression [Decca UK & US split several years later because WWII was brewing, making multinational operations impossible for a period, not reunited until three generations later]). Universal Music Group wound up getting it with the acquisition of PolyGram (which bought Decca UK/London Records in 1979) and others. At the time it was though no one was buying new vinyl anymore. Now it ought to reopen, even if UMG doesn't need it themselves. A small company could take it over and instead of virgin vinyl from fossil fuels they could recycle old LPs and sleeves. This was done as far back as the '70s during the oil crisis, but the technology to filtre out impurities and what-have-you may have come on since then. Numerous LPs languishing in charity shops and bargain bins could all go there, particularly ones that were purchased by those who are either now deceased or just too old to bother buying and playing them again at this point. Greatest Generation-geared legends like Mantovani, Ray Conniff, Glenn Miller, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, and Anita Bryant for that matter come to mind. Fulton County and neighbouring Montgomery County have suffered in recent decades with factories closing. Like Cuyahoga County two states away, these were factory towns. The demand for vinyl is back albeit to a lesser extent than generations past.  Indie labels could have their albums pressed there. Unwanted albums and 45s that can't even get sold for pennies online could just be donated. A registered charity would have to be established in order to give people and businesses a chance to write it off their taxes but I'm not the Bob Geldof of manufacturing. A grassroots campaign might work but I don't know. There are enough other places yet to reopen but that's covered more on our sister blog NYRRU. As for LPs across the seaway in Canada they get new LPs from the States if not Europe. A licencing arrangement has to be made for the boys' later albums to be sold on their turf. This plant back in Upstate NY however would now cater to small time indie cult artists with a niche following. Perhaps limited editions to save money and to see if 5,000 for a start would sell out.

UPDATE: I learnt that this has since become a warehouse, and they rent out space that could be used for such an operation, despite the environmental risks of melting down PVC instead of upcycling it into cute things to sell on Etsy. At least I can take solace in finding a suitable photo on Facebook.